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Throughout my years coaching executives, I’ve noticed a common behavior that decredentials leaders: the need to illustrate they are the smartest person in the room. Trust me, the moment you start doing that, you’ve lost:

the climate to foster meaningful, honest dialogue

the possibility of debate that’s essential to gaining insight and coming to the BEST decision, not you’re decision

the freedom to discover a solution with others

your direct reports’ trust in you as someone who cares about them and their input

That’s a lot to give up, right?

Four Behaviors to Avoid the “Smart Guy” Syndrome

Being aware of your need to establish yourself as the “smart guy” and knowing what you’re giving up as described above is just the beginning. From there, try these four behaviors that will help you avoid losing the confidence and trust of those in the room:

Never Rush-to-Judgement

Immediately judging input and the person giving it as “good” or “bad,” “worthy” or “not worthy” will create tension in the room. The moment you do this you shut the space of discovery down. You’re actually saying, I don’t need your input, I’ve got this. You will no longer get honest input, rather you will get what they think you want to hear.

Tell the Truth

If you’re afraid to tell the truth, you can’t lead. Of course, there are issues you should not discuss or open up about, you’ve got to be responsible for all the issues. Most issues are better communicated with honesty than with fabrication. And being able to admit you don’t have all the answers will engender loyalty far more than creating solutions out of thin air.

Over-Listen

I can’t stress this enough. The leader who listens is the leader who is respected. Let conversations remain ambiguous for a while and notice who participates in the solution of the issue, beyond you; that’s a future leader.

Offer honest consistent feedback

The clearer your observations are of people the more they will desire your coaching of them. They will feel your concern for their development, rather than your isolated positions. People want feedback so they can improve how they operate. Not giving them feedback says either you didn’t listen, didn’t care, or don’t have the respect for their input. That’s not going to win you many fans, is it?

Try these four behaviors at your next meeting. Let me know how it goes with a “Reply” below so we can all learn from your experience!

When a new leader takes over a team, the assessment period begins…on both sides! As a leader, it’s essential to understand this and accept it. Your new team is looking at how YOU act, react and lead to see how much trust they are going to put into you for the long-term. So, before you unpack all your boxes and set up photos around your office, start planning to get to know your team by asking some key questions!

Patience and Interest

Being the “new leader on-the-block” requires patience and the ability to be truly interested in each person’s direction and understanding of where they see the organization going. What is THEIR vision for the future? Taking time to assess this will not only give you some insight but, show that you care about their opinion as you create YOUR vision.

Ask these questions to show your desire to understand and align with your directs:

Seven Questions to Ask Your New Team

What is the next step for our organization?

What’s your opinion of our lead products/services?

What’s our future from this?

Developmentally, where do you see yourself now relative to our company?

Where do you want to be next year at this time?

What would be exciting for you to focus on?

In retrospect, what would you have altered from last year?

These questions give you insight into your direct’s knowledge of the organization and how connected they are to it. Do you have a favorite question you ask?

When you have confident leadership, you have the confidence to let them lead. Steve Giglio’s executive development programs, tailored to the needs of each individual, provide your executives with new tools and techniques essential for effective leadership and management. Once the program is completed, your team will have a blueprint from which to work, infusing their own style while ensuring the company’s culture remains intact.

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

The situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

When you have confident leadership, you have the confidence to let them lead. Steve Giglio’s executive development programs, tailored to the needs of each individual, provide your executives with new tools and techniques essential for effective leadership and management. Once the program is completed, your team will have a blueprint from which to work, infusing their own style while ensuring the company’s culture remains intact.

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

The situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

Case Study

American Express Executives Inspired to Excel

The situation:

American Express already had a team of exceptional leaders but needed to raise them to the next level. Lew Taffer, former Senior Vice President, American Express Establishment Services, felt that “it would take an outside perspective to see where areas of development were and to formulate a plan to address them.” He was, however, wary of bringing in someone who had little knowledge of the company’s business and culture.

Steve Giglio allayed those fears. “I was immediately impressed with Steve’s polished, professional demeanor and acute business knowledge,” says Taffer. “He has a keen insight that allows him to quickly and accurately assess a situation, and then address it directly in a manner that puts people at ease but also gets their attention. He opened my eyes to things about my teams I would never have seen.”

The result:

Steve created an action plan based on each individual’s needs that focused their attention on areas of weakness. And the results were immediate. American Express senior managers were more assertive, they had better command of their business segments and were far more effective leaders.

"Steve has helped my team provide a consistent service to our clients. I no longer have to send my "best" sales people to meet critical clients. I now have confidence in all of them."
Jason Wagenheim, Associate Publisher, Vanity Fair